James Farrell
|title = commanding officer |stationed = |rank = Captain |insignia1 = |spouse = |children = |relatives = Mother: Karen Farrell Father: Francis Farrell Sister: Julia Farrell }} James Farrell was a Starfleet officer who rose to prominence during the latter part of the 24th century. He graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2356. In 2370 he was assigned as the commanding officer of the . (Star Trek: The Nomad Frontier) Early Life Born as the youngest of two children to Francis and Karen Farrell in Kickapoo, Kansas in 2335, James always longed to leave the barren prairies and travel to the stars. Unlike most children on Earth, Farrell was raised in a religious family, as his parents were devout Roman Catholics. Although he would become lapsed later on in his life, the parochial upbringing of his youth would be a great influence on his later life. Farrell is a direct descendant of famous United States Army General William Tecumseh Sherman. Although he was a bright student, as a younger man he was more interested in sports than in academics. His dream to enter Starfleet would force him to buckle down, however, and after graduating from high school, he was accepted into Starfleet Academy in 2353, at the age of 17. Starfleet Academy Although he was admitted to the Academy, he never quite lived up to the academic burden placed upon him while he was there. Rather than focus on his studies, Farrell was more of a jock and a partier. His only major claim to fame while there was during his tenure as the quarterback of the Academy American football team in his junior and senior years. When he graduated in 2356, he did so in the bottom ten percent of his class, and was marked by most of his classmates and instructors as destined for mediocrity. His shining moment came in his senior year, when he led his team to a come from behind victory over the heavily favored University of Alpha Centauri in the 2356 Lunar Bowl. In his junior year, he spent his field training aboard the . Early Career Following his graduation, for reasons that remain unclear to him, he was selected to join the SEALs, (Sea, Air, Land) Starfleet's elite special forces unit. For the first time since he had enlisted, his jocularity became an asset rather than a detriment. Despite the grueling training, he made it through, and was assigned to SEAL Team Two in 2357. During the following years, he would serve along the Cardassian Front during the Federation-Cardassian War. Although he was considered to be overly gung-ho at first, he would develop into one of the finest young officers in the SEALs. He was awarded numerous decorations for valor, including the coveted Medal of Honor. Despite this, he prefers not to talk about his experiences there, and generally dislikes showing off his medals. His career with the Teams lasted until 2363 when he was wounded during a skirmish with the Cardassians. Following his injury, which made him unfit for combat duty, he undertook the Advanced Tactical Training Program and was assigned to the as chief tactical officer. It was during his time with the SEALs that he would first come into contact with Rear Admiral Willy Hoyt. USS Yorktown His service aboard the would take him back to the Cardassian Front, although the conflict had cooled immensely by the time he returned in 2365. Aboard the ship, he had the opportunity to serve under Captain Walter Stone, widely considered to be among the best starship commanders in the fleet. In 2366, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. His service aboard the Yorktown was abruptly terminated when the ship was one of thirty-nine Federation starships destroyed by the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359. USS Courageous Shortly after the Battle of Wolf 359, Farrell was reunited with Captain Stone, this time as his first officer aboard the Captain's new command, . He served there with distinction, receiving a promotion to Commander in 2368. Two years later, in 2370 he was promoted to Captain and given command of the . USS Repulse Farrell's first mission was to escort Federation colonists to Eden Prime. Upon arrival, he was involved in the search for a stolen Iconian memory crystal. ("Baptism of Fire") Command Style Farrell is a relatively young commander, and his lack of knowledge in many of the more technical and scientific fields causes him to rely heavily on his senior staff in those areas. He is nonetheless a shrewd tactician and extremely proficient with most projectile and directed energy weapons. Despite his training, however, he is generally a poor hand-to-hand fighter. He is a devoted student of history, and enjoys lecturing his crew on the subject whenever the opportunity arises. He is considered to be a laid back commander, and he places more emphasis on ability than on protocol. With the exception of his chief engineer, he prefers to keep the rest of his crew at arms length. He is not averse to bending certain protocols in the best interests of the Federation or to preserve the safety of his crew. Personal Life Farrell is a fanatical follower of American football, especially the college game, where he distinguished himself while playing for Starfleet Academy. He is formidably well-read on military history, and has a fondness for antique Earth firearms. He considers himself to be a casual drinker, and is incredibly fond of a type of bourbon known as Jim Beam. His only real friend aboard the Repulse is Lieutenant Commander David Rice, and even then, they are more like drinking buddies than close friends. His romantic life is practically non-existent, although there is some potential in his friendship with Captain Alyssa Rhodes. His relationship with his family could best be described as strained, although they do talk occasionally. Privately, he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder from his time on the Cardassian Front, although he stubbornly refuses to seek treatment. As a result, he does not sleep well. Memorable Quotes * "Why am I so Goddamned stupid?" (repeated line) * "It's five o'clock somewhere." (when questioned about drinking during the day) * "There ain't no fun in killin' folk." (lines from an ancient Earth song that he often quotes) Summary of Service Dates of Rank Decorations and Awards * - Bronze Star, awarded in 2358. * - Starfleet Citation for Conspicuous Gallantry, awarded in 2359. * - Extended Service Citation, awarded in 2361. * - Cardassian War Medal, awarded in 2362. * - Medal of Honor, awarded in 2363 for actions in 2360. * - Career Service Citation, awarded in 2364. * - Presidential Unit Citation, awarded to SEAL Team Two in 2365 for actions during the Federation-Cardassian War. * - Purple Heart, awarded in 2363, second award in 2367. * - Bridge Officer Certification, awarded in 2364. * - Command Officer Certification, awarded in 2366. * - Battle of Wolf 359 Medal, awarded in 2367. * - Citation of Exceptional Service, awarded in 2369. Assignments Category:Humans Category:Starfleet personnel (24th century) Category:Starfleet captains Category:Star Trek: The Nomad Frontier